2012 Meetup Camping Trip PLANNING

[Human No More]

3, but 4 would be fine too.

[Moco Loco]

I'm okay with anything except for #2

Edit: I'd really be okay with anything. I can live on air and water

Originally Posted by mikkowilson

it's generally much cheaper, more economical and less wasteful (not to mention easier cooking) to organize group cooking.

Do you literally mean cooking?

[mikkowilson]

I believe I meant cleaning actually. Though anything done in larger groups is generally less work per unit.

Examples...
Pot of stew for 12 vs 12 pots of stew: 1 burner, one large pot, 1 set of leftovers.
1 large pack of hot-dogs & one grill. Not a bunch of half eaten packets, on a dozen burners ,grills, fires, etc...
Breakfast: 1 case of eggs to transport carefully, and a couple of loaves of bread; not a couple of dozen individual solutions (problems).

Cooking individually means everyone needs to bring their own resources, make their own plans, and if you want to eat together, figure out their own timing.


If we go for something catered; we still have to figure out the menu, and they will simply be doing the group cooking for us at the cheaper rate and charging us the individual rates without the flexibility of just bringing our own stuff.


#3 does require a little planning from the group first, and figuring out a person/people to do the shopping. But it's easier to find 1 person to bring a large cooler than it is to find a small cooler for everyone.

- Mikko

[Alan]

This is great stuff We're getting some momentum on the camping thread again - YAY!

Ok, any preferences from anyone else? Aketuan, Raiden, Sarah, MOMs, Apache, James...anyone else whom I haven't thought of? (What about those who are coming but not on ToS? Any ideas, Mikko?)

Below is a copy of the options we seem to have (just copied from last page, so they are not lost):

1. Everyone fends for them self - not really the cheapest way or practical for those flying in. Probably a dead end really apart form maybe those on the backpacking trip.
2. Go with the Sol Duc facilities and just deal with breakfast - most convenient, but perhaps not the cheapest. Regarding the waste, we could always take our own re-useable food containers to eliminate the waste and maybe reduce the cost. win-win?
3. Go with clan meals - Potentially the cheapest way forward, but more hassle in getting and storing the food especially any chilled stuff, then cooking and cleaning.
4. Go with Sol Duc for hiking food and then clan breakfast and evening meal - Not as much hassle and means we can get away early without having to prep lunch before we go.

Once we have a concensus on what we want to do then we can start talking what food we would like and from there cost it out and plan how we get it to the camp.

Alan

[Sarah Noel]

My preferences in order are 3, 1, 4, & 2.

Just buy 20 pounds of oranges and be done with it. If you're not hungry enough to eat oranges, then you're not hungry. No scurvy for us. Joking of course, though if #1 wins this will probably be my meal plan, along with multivitamins and water.

[Moco Loco]

Originally Posted by mikkowilson

I believe I meant cleaning actually. Though anything done in larger groups is generally less work per unit.

Examples...
Pot of stew for 12 vs 12 pots of stew: 1 burner, one large pot, 1 set of leftovers.
1 large pack of hot-dogs & one grill. Not a bunch of half eaten packets, on a dozen burners ,grills, fires, etc...
Breakfast: 1 case of eggs to transport carefully, and a couple of loaves of bread; not a couple of dozen individual solutions (problems).

Cooking individually means everyone needs to bring their own resources, make their own plans, and if you want to eat together, figure out their own timing.


If we go for something catered; we still have to figure out the menu, and they will simply be doing the group cooking for us at the cheaper rate and charging us the individual rates without the flexibility of just bringing our own stuff.


#3 does require a little planning from the group first, and figuring out a person/people to do the shopping. But it's easier to find 1 person to bring a large cooler than it is to find a small cooler for everyone.

- Mikko

I literally was asking you about how you meant "cooking". I by no means doubted that cooking for many is more efficient than cooking for one, but rather that cooking at all is not something I'd have thought of. See Sarah's post.

[apache_blanca]

yeah, Alan, I am, too, glad to see that this 'patient' (the thread, and the topic) now seems more alive than dead. For months, it didn't have pulse, neither breath, only the pupils reacted to light... a tiny bit... But now it seems it can still be saved!

As for trash, no option is trash-free. With DIY cooking, we'll deal with cans, tetrabricks, plastic wraps, & with individual / box meals we'll still deal with plastic, paper etc. It's only up to us how to dispose of the waste.

I am staying in a cabin anyways. So my vote / opinion here is ONLY a suggestion: to keep Different options.

Since it seems shopping must be done in any case, I would say:
1. Option 3 as a main one - must be paid in advance.
2. Options 1, 2 & 4 as a backup (in case someone doesn't manage to pay in advance, changes their mind, prefers their food or simply doesn't like cooking (like me). People must know that there are different options for food.

I don't think we can ask for prepared meals (option 2) to be put in our own containers I am not sure All the campers will bring their own containters either... The idea was to order the food beforehand & simply to pick it up thus saving a lot of time & hassle; if they only start making sandwiches when we appear with the reusable containers - I doubt we'll save time

Mikko, if you can find a big enough burner + a big enough pot to cook for all the campers (12 now?) & bring the gear to the campsite & be in charge of them whatever that implies I'll take my hat off & bow. How long will it take to prepare & cook a meal in this huge pot you reckon?

Maybe a half-way option? not one huge burner neither many small ones but rather 1 burner + pot for, say, a group of 4-5 campers (a car-pooling / tent-sharing group).

Maybe I am taking it too far but the food purchase & storage & handing it out & all it implies can be also managed by these groups once a menu is suggested. Those of the group who arrive early do the shopping for their group (or bring it in the car from wherever they come), & long-distance travellers, like HNM, can join a group & chip in.

As for the menu, we can work on it once the purchase / hauling / storing issue is decided but I generally like Alan's menu - only that I would replace the stuff that needs cooking, like potatoes etc. with something that just needs heating (not cooking). But we'll talk later on that, & I would like the experienced hikers input on What To Eat (+ the gear) issue. Maybe I am making a huge deal of not wanting to cook; maybe it's not that scary.

So yes, it would be nice to hear from people who do a lot of hiking on what's the best option for many people.

[Aketuan]

Ok, sorry for my absence here recently. Let me chime in from the perspective of someone who camps very often.

The keyword here is "Simple".

For the backpacking

Only one night, and 10 people. This should be as simple as everyone agreeing on one simple meal and making it. All we need is one meal. We meet up with the campers the next day. I will bring both of my iso-butane backpacking stoves and pans. Done. What does everyone think of noodles for dinner? Its simple, cheap, and easy to clean up.

Things to figure out:
-Where we meet and what time
I suggest Sol Duc campground on Sunday at noon. (right where we start and end, and a reasonable time to get where we need to go)
-Meals
see above info
-Making the reservation and figuring out where we are going
I think making it shorter than originally planned is good. Makes it more open to everyone. In this case we need to make the reservation 15 days out.

For the camping

(most like Alan's idea #3) We need to keep the same mentality here. For meals it should be as simple as we can make it. For example:

-One Big Cooler for everyone (pick one up for $30 somewhere or have someone bring it)
-One Stove (2 burner) and 2 pans. (I can bring these!! most likely)
-Utensils, plates...ect (paper plates are cheap and environmental friendly. and no washing tons of dishes.)

Everyone should try to bring their own snacks. Even if you can just pick some up at the airport. For meals again, simple.

We need 3 Dinners, 2 Lunches, and 3 Breakfasts for 15 people.

Breakfasts:
-Make these no hassel, no cleanup and no time involved.

I suggest that we do cereal one day, bagels and cream-cheese one day (Mikko's idea) and oatmeal and granola bars the last day. All of these are self serve, require almost no time and are simple.

Lunches:
-Also make these no hassel and simple but more involved.

I suggest we bring along tons of bread and meats and cheese so people can make their own sandwiches for the day. These can be made in the mornings to take along with us wherever we go. With different types of meat and cheese, people can make different combinations for different days. Also we can have chips and fruit for sides.

Dinners:
-These can be a bit more complicated, and time consuming, but still simple!

I suggest one meal be hot dogs and brats and such (cooked over fire), one meal be some sort of soup or noodles, and one be burgers or something similar? These will be the only meals of the entire trip to require much use of the stoves.



Have someone (who's not backpacking and has a car/shuttle) pick up those items and put them in the cooler if they need to be, then have everyone pay them back for their share back at camp.


Things to figure out:
-What we are doing each day
I think we talked about a day hike one day, and a trip to the beach the other day using the cars we have on site.
-Meals
see above




What do people think?

I would like the experienced hikers input on What To Eat (+ the gear) issue.

Well there it is. And as for containers, if people want to bring their own re-usable stuff great, but I think using paper plates and plastic forks and such is much simpler for most people. As for gear, as I mentioned, I'll bring ALL the backpacking meal gear and I can bring the camping 2 burner stove. And the cool thing is...that's all we need with this simple plan! (besides the cooler, actual food and paper plates/utensils/bags...ect)

[mikkowilson]

That sounds great Aketuan.

And really, reusable plates & sporks aren't expensive, and are quickly easier to carry than disposable ones.

Paper plates aren't so bad, but the plastic cutlery is pretty wasteful.

ThinkGeek :: Titanium Spork - Spork = $8.50

- Mikko

[Human No More]

Sounds great, would be ideal for me and others arriving on the day from the airport. Would it use the current donations or a separate one at the time? I'll contribute a bit extra for it if the latter.

[mikkowilson]

The donations on AvatarMeet.com aren't related to camping. They are for the big clan meal and the main meetup.

- Mikko

[apache_blanca]

Originally Posted by Aketuan

Ok, sorry for my absence here recently.

good to See you back Aketuan - I am glad you've survived the viperwolves of the exams! Are you alright?

Let me chime in from the perspective of someone who camps very often.

The keyword here is "Simple".

this is what I was hoping to See/Hear: a good (and Simple) Sample from someone who knows what s/he is doing, and has the practical & proven experience in the matter!

Hey, do you think of *literally* writing a book on... Camping? one day maybe...

[James of terra]

Hello all, been awhile, been busy at work and just bought a house today......wow did not think there was that much work involed. Well looking forward to the trip and it is approching very fast!!!!!

[TimonC]

Hi,

maybe this question has been answered before :

How do you guys get to Sol Duc from Seattle TAC Airport ?

I arrive at 14th at 20:25 o'clock via plane and stay in a hotel ~1mile away from the airport ( they have a shuttle back to the airport ). But I can't find a proper transportation to Sol Duc / Port Angeles. The earliest one arrives at 16:20 o'clock at Port Angeles. Since you said you would start with the hike at noon that would be way too late.

Maybe I can group up with one or more of you at the Airport ( or somewhere else ) and then travel with you.

[Alan]

Kaltxi TimonC,

Yeah there is public transport round the peninsula, but it is sporadic, especially on a Sunday. On the Monday we are having a private shuttle from the airport to the camp and then taking us over to Seattle on the Thursday.

If all else fails, there will be plenty of room on the shuttle, but you might spend a day or so exploring Seattle. (only $2.75 on the lightrail/tram from the airport)

But with you going for the backpacking overnight hike, I'm sure someone will be passing through and be able to pick you up.

Hope it works out for you and see you at the Camp

Alan